Come along virtually with the Baker Family as they live the cruising chapter of their lives!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Fish Toss

11* 40.4' South 141* 19.6' West May 21, 2010

Ua Poa

I may have a new calling. I have impressive video in case I decide to interview for a job at the Pike Place Market throwing fish! Jamie could also use the same video to secure employment aas the "catcher". But, let me back up a bit. We are en route between the Marquesan Island of Nuku Hiva and the Tuamotan atoll of Makemo. Yesterday afternoon, as we passed to leeward of the last Marquesan island that we will see, Ua Poa, we got a fish on. Actually, two fish on our hand lines. Brad started to pull in one with some difficulty and it tangled in one of the other lines before shaking itself free. He immediately started pulling in the other fish which was a little easier. Who knows how big the first one was (the proverbial: "one that got away") as the "easier" one to pull in was a whomping 47-inch bull mahi-mahi. That is alot of fish and our freezer is pretty stocked. We knew that Totem had successfully done a fish transfer underway on the crossing, so we arranged to pull up to their starboard quarter. With half of Brad's freshly filleted mahi-mahi secured into two big ziplock bags (just to be sure that they got at least one in case that my pitching stats were closer to 50%), I tossed and Jamie made two beautiful catches and the rest is history!

The Fish Here comes CAPAZ Nice Catch!

Besides all that excitement, the wind held for quite a while and we made over 150 miles toward Makemo. The seas have been so far mild. Both boys stood watches last night, Bryce with me and Austin with Brad in the middle of the night. Homework is done and we are looking forward to fresh mahi-mahi tonight! Though I miss a morning latte, mocha, or frappacino from any of Seattle's fine and numerous coffee establishments, I have to say that a bowl of cold cereal on the bow accompanied by 15 dolphins playing around the boat isn't so bad either.